Chapter 17
Katya
I shook, staring at Carter and Tap. “We… we have to kill them?”
“It’s the jaguar way.” He downed the rest of his drink.
My mind raced. “What if I just tell them I don’t want anything to do with them or their lifestyle? I didn’t grow up with it, and I don’t want it.”
Tap gave me a sympathetic glance. “You’d have about as much luck telling a dictator you don’t want to follow his rules. It won’t fly. They’ve been following their ways for many centuries. They take pride in the old traditions and will even kill their own children for breaking them.”
I jumped, but it made sense. They’d murdered my dad.
“I’m sure all of this is a shock,” Tap continued. “Growing up as a human with your actual human family has sheltered you from a lot. The supernatural world can be quite violent and gruesome.”
I looked Carter in the eyes. “Why did you bring me into all of this?”
“He didn’t,” Tap said. “You were born into it. There’s no getting around that. You can run, but you can’t hide forever.”
My stomach twisted in knots. “You’re right. Sorry, Carter. I’m just so overwhelmed with all of this. I wish I could go back to not knowing.”
“You think you could’ve avoided shifting forever? I’m surprised you made it this long.”
I turned away from Tap and ran my fingertip up the glass, making a line through the condensation. “So, basically, my only choices are to fight or go with those jerks?”
“You don’t have to fight,” Carter said. “I can round up enough people to help us.”
Indignation burned in my gut. “I’m definitely fighting. It’s me they want. I’m not going to hide while others put their necks on the line for me.”
Tap bore his gaze into mine. “You’ll have to learn to fight. It’ll take time to train.”
“My final exams are coming up. I have all summer.”
Carter raked his fingers through his hair and pulled. “They’re already in town. I don’t think we can wait that long.”
Tap spun his empty glass. “It might work.”
“How?” I demanded.
“We’re personal friends with the high witch. She could put together a really strong cloaking spell. It would buy you enough time to finish your school year and then train. But you’re going to have to focus on that alone. There won’t be time for fun college activities.”
“Whatever it takes to get these people, uh, jaguars out of my life. I don’t want to kill anyone, but if the only other choice I have is to be someone’s baby factory, then that’s what they have coming.”
Carter stared at me with admiration. “I don’t know that I would be so brave in your situation—just finding out about the supernatural world.”
“It’s not like I have much of a choice. No way am I going to be some tyrant’s wife. I control my destiny.”
Tap and Carter exchanged a glance.
I gulped down the rest of my drink. “So, where do we go from here? What do I do?”
“I’ve got spare rooms,” Tap said. “Nobody’s going to find you here. You wouldn’t believe the magic I have protecting my home.”
“This bar is your home?” I asked.
“Downstairs. Do you want a guest room?”
I shook my head, more indignation churning. “I’m not going to let them chase me away from my home. I’m going to the hotel.”
“You might want to consider it.”
“I’ll keep your offer in the back of my mind, but I want to live my life, not live in fear. I’ve got both Carter and Che there.”
“But if twenty shifters show up, the two of them will be woefully outnumbered. You’re not just putting your own safety on the line, but theirs. Not to mention your human family.”
I hadn’t thought of that. “Well, I don’t want to hide. What kind of a message is that sending those bullies?”
Tap glanced at Carter. “How do you feel about going to the hotel with her?”
“It’s what she wants. I’ll bring along some of the pack members. Maybe see if Gessilyn can spare one of her siblings.”
“You’re both hard-headed.” Tap rose. “Let me grab a concoction from downstairs. It won’t last long, but it should buy you some time until Gessilyn’s coven can devise a stronger protection spell.”
He walked away, muttering to himself.
I turned to Carter. “You don’t think I’m making a mistake, do you?”
“Standing your ground is never a mistake. I respect you for it.”
A warmth ran through me. “Thank you.”
Quinn came over and took our empty glasses. “Anything else I can get you?”
Carter leaned back against the booth. “I don’t suppose you have a potion to make a shifter remain permanently in his animal form?”
Quinn arched a brow. “You got some sudden desire to live out your life as a jaguar?”
“It’s not for me.”
Quinn snickered. “Well, I don’t have anything like that, but I’ll keep an ear out.”
Glass shattered in another room.
“Ugh.” Quinn groaned. “I better see what those mesmers are doing now.”
I ran my hands over a condensation ring on the table. “Do you think we’ll be able to get rid of my father’s family?”
He looked deep in thought. “I’m sure of it.”
“How can you be certain?”
“I’ve seen a lot in my time. I’m not saying this will be easy or that there won’t be casualties, but it’s definitely doable.”
Tap returned, carrying a tear-shaped bottle with a lavender-colored liquid inside.
“What’s that?” Carter asked.
“This’ll keep the lady hidden from the shifters.”
I eyed the bottle. “But what about Carter and Che? Will it hide me from them?”
“Only if they mean you harm.”
My eyes widened. “What?”
“This will make it so your enemies can’t recognize you. It won’t hide you like the other spell did—the one Che has been using on you. You can talk to them, but they’ll think you’re someone else entirely.”
“Hand it over.”
“Wait,” Carter said. “What do you want for it?”
Tap stared at him. “You’ll owe me. One day I’ll need you to drop everything and help me.”
“Not until we fix this problem, right?”
“Of course.”
Carter took the bottle and handed it to me. “Deal.”
I watched as bubbles slowly rose. “So, I just drink this?”
“Correct. Don’t leave a drop.”
“How long will this last?”
“Should be the right amount to get you a week. You can get through your exams. By then, Gessilyn should have something more potent while you train.”
I held the bottle up to the light. “Anything else I should know about it? Will it turn my skin blue or something?”
“No, nothing like that. You might not sleep much, however. Or maybe you will. It’s hard to say how any one person will react to these things.”
“More time for studying.” I pulled the cork out and gulped down the lukewarm, fizzy liquid. It tasted like starfruit. Once I was done, I set it on the table.
“I was serious about not leaving a drop.” Tap nodded toward the bottle, which had two tiny droplets weaving their way down to the bottom on the inside of the glass.
“Fine.” I held the bottle upside down over my mouth and waited. And waited until finally I felt one drop. Then the second one. “Is that everything?”
Tap took the bottle and studied it. “Looks good.” Then he turned to Carter. “You owe me. Don’t forget.”
“Never could.”
My stomach gurgled. I belched really loudly. People turned and stared. My face burned and I covered my mouth.
“That might happen for the next hour or so,” Tap said.
“I could’ve used a heads-up about that.” I’d have done anything to keep from burping in front of Carter.
“You’ll thank me later.” Tap walked away and stopped at the table of mermaids.
“I’m so sorry.” I couldn’t look Carter in the eyes. “I’m not normally so rude.”
“Don’t apologize. That was impressive.”
I stared at him. “Are you joking?”
He grinned. “Not in the slightest. You ready to head home?”
Energy buzzed around in me. “Yeah. Can we shift again?”
“We’d probably be better off waiting. You need to ease into it.”
“So, we have to walk through the woods back to your car?” After all the running we did as jaguars, it felt like we were halfway across the globe.
“We’re actually not all that far from my place.”
I glanced down at the dress. “What about this? Won’t your friend be mad I’m wearing her clothes?”
“She won’t mind. We never put our favorites in the cubbies because other shifters caught in a bind will often borrow them.”
“Like I just did.”
“You can change into your clothes when we get back if you want.”
“Sure, after we shift.”
He laughed. “Nice try.”
I shrugged. “I had to give it a shot.”